New work from Loyola Medicine’s Pain Management Center has found that women are 1.38 times more likely than men to report neck pain due to cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD). The study was led by Meda Raghavendra, M.D. and Joseph Holtman, M.D., Ph.D., of Loyola University Medical Center and Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
Women: 1.38X More Likely to Report Neck Pain Due to DDD
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According to the March 8, 2016 news release, these same physicians “conducted a similar study of patients who were treated at Loyola’s Pain Management Center for lumbosacral degenerative disc disease (lower back pain). The prevalence in females, 12%, was slightly higher than the prevalence in males, 11%, but this difference was not statistically significant.”
Dr. Raghavendra is an associate professor and Dr. Holtman is a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Holtman also is program director of Pain Management.
Dr. Raghavendra told OTW, “Gender differences in pain management are an area of increased focus. If we can identify the differences, we may be able to customize gender-specific treatments.”
Asked what future work should be done in this area, Dr. Raghavendra noted, “To find out if similar results are produced in orthopedic spine clinic settings; i.e., if more women with neck pain present to orthopedic spine clinics. We should also find out what percentage of patients presenting to orthopedic spine clinics with neck pain end up with surgery, and whether there are any gender differences in patients who end up needing surgery.”
“Gender differences in neck pain may play important role in multimodal interventions including pain management, physical rehabilitation and surgery.”
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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